Tag Archives: Holy

CHRISTIAN LIVING

TAKING HOLY THINGS FOR GRANTED — BOB PRICHARD

In my recent Bible reading, the following passage was significant. “And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD” (Leviticus 10:1-2). 

This tragic situation came about because these two sons of Aaron were careless in their service to God. What struck me in my reading of the passage this time is what I read in the two verses before this. “And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.  And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:23-24).

Did you notice what happened? The “glory of the Lord” appeared to the people, and the Lord sent a fire out that consumed the sacrifice, and “all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.” And then in the very next verse, Nadab and Abihu brought down more fire from the Lord by their disobedience. It makes me wonder, how could they have done this? Weren’t they paying attention? Didn’t they realize the power of God? Didn’t they know what they were doing?

I don’t know all of the reasons that Nadab and Abihu made their fateful choice, but one thing is obvious. They took holy things for granted. They were the right people, with the right implements of worship, doing the right thing, in the right place, but in the wrong way. And they paid for it with their lives.

I wonder how often we are guilty of taking holy things for granted. Have you ever partaken of the Lord’s Supper, and then realized that you didn’t even think about what Christ did for you. Most all of us are guilty of sometimes singing words we don’t mean or believe in worship. When we sing “Anywhere with Jesus,” do we mean it? When we sing, “all to Thee, I surrender,” do we mean it?

The Lord has blessed us with His mercy, in that He has not destroyed us like Nadab and Abihu. But can we continue to take holy things for granted? “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29).

CHRISTIAN LIVING, GOD

“OH MY GOD!” — JOSH ALLEN

It is impossible to avoid hearing it. Watch TV or listen to the radio long enough, and someone will say it. From “Oh My God!” to “Oh God!” to simply “God!” These are not holy supplications but expressions of shock, excitement, frustration, and even anger. It is a reactionary statement said without thought and is so common in our culture that it has been abbreviated for texting purposes, “OMG.” It’s everywhere, but should it be in the vocabulary of Christians? 

Would you be surprised to know that this statement is biblical? It was often on the lips of God’s faithful. Three times Nehemiah cried out, “Remember me, O my God” (Nehemiah 13:14, 22, 31), and once, on behalf of his people, he said, “Remember them, O my God” (Nehemiah 13:29). OMG is also found frequently in the Book of Psalms. Twelve times the Psalmists sing, “O my God” (Psalm 3:7, 22:2, 25:2, 38:21, 40:8,17, 42:6, 59:1, 71:4,12,22; 83:13). Even Jesus on the cross cried out, “‘My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?'” (Matthew 27:46). Such verses indicate that “OMG” was never used the way it is today. In the Bible, it was never an expression of surprise or slang. It is just the opposite! Those in Scripture utter these words with the utmost respect and reverence. In the Bible, it is an expression of prayer, pleading, and a personal relationship with God.

God instructed Israel, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7). In this commandment, God did not prohibit the use of His name but rather the misuse of it. He is holy and desires His people to hold Him in reverence. He still does! So one must ask, do expressions (such as, “Oh My God!” or “Jesus Christ!”) show respect? Or do they reveal a heart that fails to make such a distinction? 

Jesus taught that words matter, for they reveal the heart. “‘A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.'” (Matthew 12:35-36).

The sound advice of James 1:9 is much needed today. “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” In other words, “Think before you speak.” Neither surprise nor anger is an adequate excuse for taking God’s name in vain. So, the next time you use the Lord’s name, let it be in prayer or praise.

“O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed” (Psalm 25:2)